Once Upon a time, an Angel and a Devil fell in love
by Tasharella
Summary: She was always there, burning at the back of his mind. When he was alone in his cell and everyone else was fast asleep far away in a dreamland that held promises of an escape from Walkers, he could hear her. Or at least he thought he could. "I'm out of sight, I'm out of mind. I'll do it all for you in time and out of all these things I've done. I think I love you better now"
1. The February Darkness

Chapter One: This world is gonna burn, burn, burn, burn.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for the plot.

Two years had passed since the community at the prison was built. Two years of loss, suffering, and in some brisk wonderful moments happiness had surfaced. No one could have seen it coming. The deaths, the unexpected births, this new-found so called circle of life had started back up again walkers or not.

She was always there, burning at the back of his mind. When he was alone in his cell and everyone else was fast asleep far away in a dreamland that held promises of an escape from Walkers, he could hear her. Or at least he thought he could.

Those unmistakable whimpers in the dead of night.

He had wanted to comfort her, and he almost had on several rare occasions. He would sit up in bed, slip on his boots, and wait as he created an all-out war against himself on the matter.

Daryl had never been a man of sentiment, nor had he ever really cared for someone other than his brother. Certainly, he did come to accept the group in the prison, and even enjoy some of their company but none more than hers.

Daryl Dixon had a very long line of disappointment in life.

People he could never impress, people that had left scars both physical and mental, and people that had just left.

Love was foreign to him. He had never spoken the word. It was also a word that was never used by another person in regard to him.

He soon fell asleep to her melodic cries; an almost reminiscent reminder of his younger self. But never was he able to escape the world of death and darkness in which he lived.

The nightmare was always the same.

_Screams echoed through the halls, pulling Daryl from his slumber. He hopped to his feet and he slid into his boots. He slung his bow over his shoulder, and he grabbed his combat knife from his sink. As he began to regain consciousness, the screams grew louder. _

_He bounded out of his cell, and he nearly knocked over a walker. He flipped his knife, and he rammed it into the back of its head. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement. Glenn. "What the hell happened?" He yelled over the screams, stabbing a female walker in the eye. Glenn must have dropped his knife somewhere, because he was shooting everything he could with his assault rifle. _

_"A huge herd came through and knocked down the fence!" He yelled back. Daryl began slashing his way to Glenn. Stabbing as many walkers as he could. Eye. Nose. Mouth. Jaw. He didn't care where he stabbed them as long as they nicked them in some way. _

_A high pitch female screech cut through the air. "Maggie." Glenn whispered, allowing himself a dangerously long amount of time to stop fighting. A very short walker, most likely a child, sunk it's teeth into his shoulder blade. _

_"Glen!" Daryl shouted, but it was in vain. _

_Glenn cried out in pain and when he looked up at Daryl he knew that his fate was sealed. Glenn began to shoot a path towards the direction of the scream several walkers clinging onto him. Daryl let out a stream of arrows killing as many of those fuckers as he could. _

_Glenn was never able to reach the door, and as the walkers overtook him, he managed to yell out one last request. _

_"Save Maggie, and the children."_

_Daryl killed the remaining amount of walkers near Glenn, curb-stomping on their skulls. He nodded reverently, and he pushed open the solid steel door. Glenn Rhee raised his gun for one final time, tears rushing down his face. Before Glenn could pull the trigger, Daryl ducked out of the doorway._

_BANG._

_It was silent under the piercing light of the sun. What used to be a busy, bustling mecca of the prison was now a graveyard. No walkers moaned, no celebration of yet another fateful attempt at keeping someone alive. Bodies littered the ground both human and walkers alike. The cement was soaked with blood. There was no telling who was alive, if anyone was. _

_Daryl scanned the prison yard, hoping to see some sort of movement. There was a flickering of light, and he ran as fast as he could, keeping low to the ground. As he got closer, he saw her. She was perched on top of the only hill within the yard, her platinum blond hair flowing wildly with the silent wind. _

_She stared at him, her blue-green eyes threatening tears at any moment. She held a screaming Judith in one arm, and in the other was a gun, hanging carelessly at her side. "Beth!" Daryl hissed, as he moved forward he slung his crossbow back over his shoulder. _

_Beth didn't move. Thought the cries coming from Judith grew louder. Beth didn't even flinch, but as Daryl came closer, she lifted the gray handgun slowly; fear now engulfing her eyes. A single tear trailed down her cheek, and she began to tremble._

_As she pressed the barrel of the gun to the little girl's forehead, Beth had closed her eyes. Daryl pushed himself to go faster, and faster to reach them. He flung himself at the fence at full force and it busted open. "No! No, no, no, no! BETH!" He shrieked. _

_BANG._

_The echo of Judith's last cry rang out against the prison walls. Beth sat down carefully with Judith still entangled in her arms. "Why?!" He sobbed, dropping to his knees before her. He wrapped them both into his arms, and he rocked them back and forth. "No child should live in a world this cruel." She whispered, her voice raw with emotion._

_Beth held out one blood smeared hand, and she pressed it against his cheek. She leaned foreward and she gently kissed his forehead. "Join me." _

_Then in almost an instant, she put the barrel of the gun in her mouth, and before Daryl could do anything, a third and final,_

_BANG. _

_Had gone off that morning._

Daryl awoke sometime in the wee hours of the morning, drenched in sweat. He gasped for air, shooting straight up in his bed. A small hand reached out, and touched his elbow. He jumped back, immediately retreating to the corner of his bed. "Shhh. It's me." The voice whispered, and his lantern clicked on. It took him a few moments for his eyes to adjust. "Are you having nightmares again?" She questioned, sitting down on the corner opposite of him.

Her outline was becoming visible, and he recognized the honey colored hair. "Beth?" He asked, downright surprised. Beth bit her lip, and she pulled her legs up to her chest. "I haven't been sleeping real well either." She admitted. "It's none of your damn business if I'm having nightmares." He spat, and he sat back into the middle of his bed. Beth's face fell, and she nodded. "I'm sorry, Daryl."

He buried his face back into his pillows, and he flung the blankets back over himself. He heard the soft pitter-patter of her feet going back down the hallway. A few moments later, he swore he heard the cries start back up again.


	2. Goodbye Old Friend, Goodnight

Chapter Two: As long as we're going down...  
Baby you should stick around.

Disclaimer: I own nothing other than the plot. J

The sun had shone brightly through the clouds. The swift thunderous wind flew over the valley in the Prison yard. It was cold, far too cold for early fall. The overhead cover lit everything with a gray tint. The wind swirled up the leaves in the surrounding trees, causing the leaves to tumble in Beth's direction.

She had always loved fall, but as of late she had hated it. It meant cold, and suffering. It reminded her of death, and _that_ was something she no longer wanted to think about. It was already everywhere around her.

She rocked slowly back and forth outside on the swing, Judith playing on a blanket before her feet. She was reading a book on the ocean. There were so many different creatures in the ocean, and it was so breath-taking. "Beth." A voice began, coming up the walkway.

Beth looked up, and she closed her book. "Rick." She smiled, and she patted the seat next to her. Rick slowly made his way to her. His curly brown hair was slicked back as per usual. He wore dark brown pants along with his usual tanned button shirt.

"What's up, Rick?" She asked. Rick pulled up his drooping pants, and he sat down next to her. "I haven't gotten around to saying it yet, but I just want you to know that I'm grateful for you taking care of Judith. Even Carl too." He confessed and he leaned back. Beth placed her book beside her, and she nodded. "No problem, Rick. I love doing it."

He took a deep breath, and he scooped up Judith into his arms. "Yeah, I know." Judith had gotten so big. He sat Judith on his lap, and he kissed her forehead. Beth curled up on her seat, and Rick rocked them back and forth slowly. Judith was giggling, and playing with Rick's face. It was far too chilly for the season. "Rick, what do you know about the ocean?" She asked, and she regarded him quietly.

"The ocean?" Rick laughed, and he turned to face her. Beth laughed nervously along with him. He ran his free hand through his hair. "Well. Not much. Why do you ask?" Beth shrugged, and she placed her feet back on the ground. "I'm just curious, I guess." Rick grinned, and he let out a small laugh. "An odd thing to be curious about. Especially in this world." Beth nodded, and Judith began to grow fussy. Beth let a soft sigh escape her, and she tucked her book under her arm.

"It's her naptime." She informed him, and she stood. Rick shook his head. "Aw. Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it." Beth cocked her head to the side, hesitantly. "You sure you don't have any things to do? You know, stuff?" Rick smirked at her as he stood, putting the toddler on his hip. "Really, Beth. I've got it." She forced a grin, and she kissed Judith on the top of her head. "Okay, Rick."

He watched her as she walked off, still amazed at person she had become. Her light blond hair was so long it reached to the middle of her back. She too wore a button up long sleeved shirt, but hers happened to be black, pink and green plaid. Her blue jeans were pressed tight to her skin. They were the only pants nearest her size as clothes were hard to come by.

On the way back, Beth kicked at some rocks on the dirt pathway. She felt lost without having Judith by her side. She wasn't paying attention to where she was going, and she nearly tripped over a bucket. Laughing to herself, she picked it up and she placed it on a hook in one of the sheds. As she stepped out, she saw Daryl walk up the path. He was dirtier than ever, sweat slicking his dark brown hair down his face. She beamed and she ran to hug him.

She wrapped her arms around his chest, and he held her awkwardly. She breathed in his scent, and she cringed inwardly. "What's that for?" He asked, mid-hug. She looked up at him. "I'm just glad you're okay. Run's always make me nervous." She released him, finally realizing the intimate position they were in. She rubbed her arm, nervously. "Me too." Daryl admitted, and he adjusted his crossbow. Before he could say anything more, she pecked him on the cheek and she bounded away.

Daryl froze and he tried to regain his senses. The very presence of her made him falter, and he shuffled away awkwardly. How was it that she could make him nearly swoon like a goddamned broad whenever she was near? She was so.. Just so damn beautiful. He shook his head and he jogged towards Rick. "Did we lose anybody?" Rick questioned when Daryl was close enough.

"Naw. We all made it in one piece, and we got some supplies too." Judith began to squirm. "Dada. Sleepy." She yawned, her nose pink. Daryl almost did a double-take. "How old is the little asskicker now?" He asked. Rick shrugged, and he nodded in the direction of the prison. "I think she's about two." He replied, and they began to walk back together.

* * *

Maggie stared out of the watchtower window, lost in thought. How would Glenn react to her terrible, wonderful news? She didn't want to end up like Lori had. They were underprepared, and the baby couldn't have come at a more difficult time then.

Maggie began to tremble violently, and she wrapped a blanket around her arms. Tears streamed silently down her face as she recalled the last scare they'd had. She wished desperately for someone to talk to. Ever since her daddy died last winter… She couldn't finish the thought.

It was at that moment, that she felt the fear like ice running through her veins. Her entire body went numb, and she could barely breathe. She shut her eyes tightly, and she held onto her abdomen. There was no movement there yet. How could there be? She was only a few weeks along.

Down below, the metal door to the tower clanged noisily. It was now or never. She cleared her throat. "Glenn?" She called, her voice uneven. She took a deep breath, and she tried to compose herself. She couldn't let anyone see her this way. Not even Glenn.

"Yeah?" He greeted as he took off his coat, and threw it down to the side. "How'd the run go?" She questioned, tightening the blanket around herself subconsciously. Glenn was grinning like a mad man. "We are completely re-stocked." He was nearly jumping up and down with excitement. "It's been so long since we were able to get ahead."

Maggie momentarily lost sight of her fears, and she gripped Glenn into an almost bone-crushing hug. "Oh my god." She commented, and they nearly took off out of the tower like rockets toward the moon. "We've never had it so good." He smiled, in tears of joy. He held her closely to him. "I love you, Maggie. This time, I swear everything is looking brighter."

Maggie nodded, her thoughts leading elsewhere. "Yeah." She whispered, fear overtaking her once more. How could she tell him now? How could she take his happiness and crush it into dust between her fingers? "I love you too, Glenn."

* * *

"Dinner!" Karen's voice rang out into the evening, and to every ear it caught it sounded like a young child on Christmas morning. Most of the group came running to the outside 'patio', Beth waited on the sidelines for the children to get their food first.

Carl swaggered over to Beth's side, smirking. Beth shook her head, laughing. "So you're an adult now?" She asked, shifting Judith on her hip. Carl nodded. "I'm 16 years old now, at least I think I am." The pair both shared a laugh, and they took their places at the end of the line with all the others. Purely by happenstance, Daryl was behind them, yet the two caught no notice.

Judith reached out for the man, she knew as "Darwel." She giggled, quietly. Daryl pressed a single finger to his lips, and he booped her on the nose. He absolutely hated the name she called him, but in the same sense he loved it. Beth had not taught Judith many names, but he was proud that she had taught her his. Judith roared with laughter, and she reached out to him again. Beth turned at the noise, and she handed Judith to him caringly. "She must have missed you today."

As they received their food, they all went to sit together with Rick and Daryl side by side, and Carl, Judith and Beth across from them. Beth smiled non-chalantly at Daryl and he reluctantly returned it. This act went unnoticed by everyone else except Carl. Anger flashed across the forefront of Carl's mind. He wracked his brain for an insult. Something.

"This year I turned 16, I think. What about you Daryl, Dad?" Carl questioned as innocently as he could muster. Rick laughed aloud, and he shook his head. "Jeez. I think I might be 37 by now." He scooped up some mashed potatoes, and he shoved them into his mouth. Daryl leaned back, and he stretched, his muscles shifting under his t-shirt.

Beth squirmed in her seat, and her eyes flicked back to her plate. "I'm 35, Carl." He replied, looking directly at him. Both of the men's gazes turned to Beth, grinning like Cheshire cats. "Beth? What about you?" Beth shrugged, and she fed a spoonful of mashed potatoes to Judith. "I'm prob'ly about 20 years old."

A scream cut sharply through the cold night air. Rick looked to see who out of the group they were missing, but he couldn't connect the voice with a face. Beth flung down her spoon, and she turned to Carl. "Watch Beth." She ordered, and she pulled a gun out of her pocket. "That was Noah." She hissed at the two men across the table, and she jumped from the table into the direction of the scream. They followed her, still dumbstruck as to what was happening.

There hadn't been trouble with the walkers for months now. Beth ran at full force with Daryl and Rick trailing after her. She stopped right outside of cell block B, and she clamped a hand over her mouth. "Noahhh!" She screeched. Noah was pinned to the wall several feet from the ground; his arms were stretched out, and his feet were roped together. Below him, written in Noah's blood was "Eye see you."

Beth began to cry silently, and she nearly fell to her knees. Daryl caught her just in time, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Rick patted her shoulder lightly. "We need to get this cleaned up. Then we need to have a council meeting." He whispered fiercely to Daryl, and Daryl nodded.


	3. I will follow you into the dark

Chapter Three: It's all gonna shift, it's out of our hands.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for the plot.

Pink water sloshed around in the bucket she was using. Her sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, and the water dripped down her wrists, trailing her veins. She scrubbed furiously at the blood on the wall. Noah was a good kid. He didn't deserve what had happened to him. "You okay?" Daryl asked quietly, as he wrapped the mangled body into the white sheets.

Beth began to nod, and she wiped the sweat from her forehead leaving a smear of dark red. She paused for a moment. "I've known for a while that walkers ain't the only bad thing in this world." She stared at Daryl as he continued to work. He began to tie up Noah's legs with one third of the rope he had. "I guess, in a way, people are worse. They know what they're doin'."

Daryl didn't know how to respond to that. Yeah, people were bad, but not all people. Some people could be saved. Like his brother, Merle. He watched her as she worked, her beautiful hair tumbling down her shoulders. She was scrubbing so hard, he could tell she was close to collapsing into tears. Yet she didn't, and he admired her for that.

They worked in silence for a time, and Beth dropped her towel next to the bucket. She sat down next to the wall, trying desperately to keep her composure. She was an adult now, and she couldn't let anyone see her so weak. She wasn't that silly little girl anymore. This world had hardened her. Daryl looked up, and it nearly killed him to see her in such disarray. He finished wrapping up the body, and he wiped his hands on his jeans.

"Did you know him good?" He asked. Beth shook her head, and she leaned it back against the clean part of the wall. He was one of Zach's good friends, and after Zach had gone… They didn't talk very often. "No." Daryl walked over, and he sat down next to her. "You can't just hole up your emotions like that." Beth let a small laugh escape her, and she dropped her head to his shoulder. "Hypocrite."

He laughed with her then, and he looked out into the night. "Yeah. I know." It was quiet as it usually was. They had strung up walker parts all over the fence. It wasn't pretty, but it was effective. The breeze had quieted from that morning, but that didn't take away the chill. "Thank you, Daryl." She whispered, and he felt the weight of her head on his shoulder shift.

He didn't have to ask for what. He already knew. He was there for her after her father died, when Maggie had curled up into herself. Beth had shut down completely, even worse than she had for her mother. He had to admit he was always jealous (if only a little) that she had someone to care for her like her father did.

That's the way it goes, it seemed. When Carl's mother had died, he was there for him when his father couldn't be. "I think little Carl has a crush on you." Daryl voiced aloud. Beth raised her head, and she swatted his arm in protest. "No way. He and I are like family. That's pretty much what the council is. Family." She laughed.

Daryl smiled down at her, and he shrugged. "Oh really? You gon' go and devastate the boy like that." Beth placed her head back onto the comfort of his leather jacket. "I guess I'm gonna have to. He's my little brother. Maggie's my sister. Glenn's my brother in law. Carol's like a second mom to me. Sasha, Michonne and Tyrese are distant cousins." She informed him, matter-of-factly.

"Oh yeah?" Daryl began, and he put lit up a cigarette. "Where does that leave me and Rick?" Beth slipped her hands around his arm, and she shrugged. "Well, Rick is like…" She paused. What was Rick to her? He wasn't her dad, that was her daddy alive or not.

"He's our guide. Like from right, and wrong. I don't know where to place him, but he's there. He protects us just like you do. And you? You're like a family friend that everyone loves. The bad kid in town with a heart of gold."

That piqued Daryl's interests, and he took a drag of his cigarette. "A heart of gold? You sound like some type of romance author." Beth nodded, and she smiled. An actual smile, no strings attached. "Doesn't matter if it's true."

Daryl finished his cigarette and he tossed it away against the prison. "You gonna sing tonight?" He asked. Beth shook her head, and she sighed. "I dunno."

Daryl looked down at her then, a burning fire in his eyes.

"Do you think it was one of our own?" He questioned her.

"Who else could have done it so fast?" came her reply.

Beth stood up suddenly, and she went back to her scrubbing. Daryl took the hint and he went back to Noah. He picked him up and he threw him over his shoulder. Moments later, Beth threw in her towel. The words had been scrubbed away, but there was a large splurge of red. She tossed the rest of the water onto the wall. It washed away the remainders, and it was almost as if Noah's tragic death had been erased.

* * *

"What happened out there?" Michonne questioned, leaning her chair back on two legs. Rick shook his head, and he sighed. "We got a message." Maggie furrowed her brows together, and she clutched onto Glenn's hand. "What kind of message?" She asked.

Rick shook his head once more, distraught at even the possibility of him. "It was from the Governor." Beth whispered, her eyes filled to the brim with tears. Gasps were heard through-out the room. Daryl clenched and un-clenched his fists under the table. "No. Beth. We don't know that." Rick snapped, and he took a deep breath. Beth laughed once, a cold unforgiving laugh. "Rick did you even read the writing on the wall?"

Michonne glared at something past the group. "What did it say?" She demanded, her fingers itching for her Katana. "The damn thing said, 'Eye see you'." Daryl growled, and he pointed to his right eye for emphasis. Glenn stood up, anger surging through his veins. "We need to find the fucker that did this." Rick held his hand out, and he stood slowly. "Glenn. We will find him." He said it with such vigilance that it made most of the group stop in their tracks. It was Carol's turn to laugh, and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah? How are we going to do that? Wait until one of us is strung up on that wall?" Maggie touched Carol's elbow, and Carol snatched it away. "No, Maggie. Something needs to be done about this before someone else gets hurt." Maggie grabbed onto Carol's elbow, and she spun her around to face her. "How are we gonna do that when we don't know who did it?"

Beth and Michonne nodded. "She's right, Carol." Michonne declared. Carol ripped her elbow out of Maggie's grip. "Don't you dare touch me." She seethed, and she glared at her. "Carol." Beth protested, and Carol smirked as she pulled up her sleeves. "Oh shut up, Beth. This isn't something one of your damn songs can fix." She spoke coldly and without reason. Daryl stood, and he regarded Carol icily. "Carol, this isn't Beth's fault. Don't be putting her down." He warned.

Carol smirked, nearly at the end of her rope. "I will put down who ever I feel like, Daryl Dixon." Daryl fingered his bow, and he nearly brought it up to point at her. "Not. Her." He spoke, almost death-like. Beth placed a hand on Daryl's back, and he flinched. He looked down into her pleading eyes, and he breathed out in anger. "That's enough, guys." Rick demanded trying to take back control of the situation.

"We need to figure out who did this. Until then, we'll have watches put out." Rick ordered, glaring at the group. Rick thrust a piece of paper into the middle of the table. "Daryl. You and Beth go out to the tower closest to where Noah was killed, and you keep watch for tonight. Glenn and Maggie will relieve you in the morning."

* * *

Beth walked as quietly as she could down the echoing corridor. She picked up her gun, knife, notebook, pencil, flashlight, and a pillow. Certainly she and Daryl would take turns watching through-out the night. She hurried out of her cell, and nearly smacked into Daryl. She let out a small squeak and Daryl chuckled softly. "It's just me."

The walk to the tower had been quiet between the pair, and for the most part the night was quiet as well albeit the lowing of the walkers every once and a great while. When they arrived at the looming tower, Beth took a deep breath. Memories flashing to the forefront of her mind. Her vision darkened, and she held her hand to the wall to keep herself up right.

Daryl grabbed onto her, and he helped her to stand. "What's wrong?" He questioned, his brows creasing in their worry. Beth shook her head, and the darkness faded. "Nothing. I'm okay." She lied, still feeling a bit lightheaded. Daryl nodded and he released her. "A'right." He pushed open the door, and he lead her up the stairs.

They seated themselves in comfort. There were two rickety old metal stool with half of the polyester ripped out, blood smears decorated the floor, and the smell of death, musty and ancient, filled the stuffy room. Daryl nodded to the stool nearest the window, and Beth placed her things onto the window sill. "You ain't gonna get much writing done in the dark." He commented with a smirk.

Beth groaned. She should have realized they would have to be hidden in the darkness. No one other than the council knew they were keeping watch. She threw down her pencil and notebook. They clanged noisily onto the floor. Daryl stared at her pointedly, and Beth let out a nervous laugh. "Sorry." She mumbled.

A few hours passed, and the pair had exchanged childhood stories. Some good ones (usually Beth), and some frightening ones (usually Daryl). The conversation had begun to die down after a while. Beth was nearly nodding off at the window sill, and Daryl kept watch vigilantly. "Whatcha thinkin' about?" He asked, needing to do something to pass the time. Beth shrugged, and she curled up into her coat. "I guess, I'm just thinkin about how we're gonna get the guy who killed Noah, and how we're gonna distract the community."

Daryl leaned back, and he lit up a smoke. "We'll figure out somehow. We always do." Beth stood up, and she tried to shake off the fatigue. "Yeah. I hope so." She held the doorway and she stretched out her back. "I really wish we had coffee." She mentioned, smiling. She'd hated coffee, and in the old world she'd only tried it once. Does it taste differently when you're older? Daryl grinned, and he took another drag.

"I wasn't much one for coffee." Coffee was his father's beverage of choice when he was going through a monumental hangover. Which wasn't very often, because his father was usually drunk. Neither spoke for a few moments, dreaming of a world without walkers. Beth's vision was beautiful. She would still have her daddy and her momma. They would wake up early in the morning, play a game or two of cribbage, and have a pot of coffee brewing.

Daryl's was far more nightmarish, and he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind. Daryl finished his cigarette. He crushed it against the wall, and he watched as a waterfall of embers fell to the floor. "I don't sleep too well anymore." Beth began, and she leaned against the windowsill. Daryl strode over next to her, and he silently agreed.

Feeling a rush of courage or stupidity, Daryl couldn't tell which, he asked her the question he had wanted to for months. "Is it you that cries at night?" Beth looked up at him in shock, and she didn't answer him. That, alone, was answer enough for Daryl. "Why?" He asked, looking at her intensely. Beth shook her head, and her gaze fell to her wrist.

The one she had tried to use as a vessel to the gates of Heaven, or Hell depending upon the religion you believe in. She rubbed her fingers across the sharp white scar. "I didn't know anyone could hear me." She admitted, and she looked back out to the horizon, past the prison and the trees. Past the existence of this cruel world she had come to live.

The sun was coming up over the hills and it made the air a bit crisper. Beth began to shiver, and Daryl chuckled to himself. "Women." He muttered, as he shed himself of his coat, and he tossed it over her shoulders. "Thanks." She whispered. He smiled down at her, and he was caught if only for a moment by the lure of her grey blue eyes.

Beth leaned into his side, and before he could stop himself. Before he could intellectually battle himself. Before he could even think. He leaned down to kiss her.

Their lips brushed together softly, and that's when Beth decided to pull away. She retreated back to her stool, and she left Daryl standing at the window. "Beth." He protested, going back to her. "What's wrong?" He placed his hands on her shoulders, and Beth shrugged him off. "Nothing Daryl."

Before they could continue their conversation, the large metal door clanged noisly at the bottom of the stairs. Beth delicately took off Daryl's jacket, and she held it out to him. He took it reluctantly, and he picked up his crossbow. "Wake up, Slackers!" Glenn's voice rang out through the tower as he burst through the door.

* * *

The morning was bright and misty down in the yard. The community began to drizzle down slowly for what could hardly be called a sermon. Noah's mother had died when the Woodbury Survivors had come to live at the prison. He had no one to call family. At least blood relatives. Where 'family' was concerned everyone had each other when the times were rough.

Rick's eyes swept over the 40ish people in their little community, meeting nearly each of their gazes. "Noah was a good kid. He didn't deserve what happened to him, but this is just a reminder to us all. The dangers are far from over." His eyes flashed over to Beth who stood between himself and Daryl. He touched her shoulder, and he nodded. "Go on." He sighed.

All eyes were on her and with slight hesitation, Beth began to sing:

"Love of mine, some day you will die,  
But I'll be close behind.  
I'll follow you into the dark.  
No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white.  
Just our hands clasped so tight.  
Waiting for the hint of a spark.

If Heaven and Hell decide,  
That they both are satisfied.  
Illuminate the "No's" on their vacancy signs  
If there's no one beside you,  
When your soul embarks  
Then I'll follow you into the dark."

All was quiet for a few moments, and one by one people lined up to throw dirt over the body. Beth threw her share of dirt, and she started up the path as Daryl followed close behind. "You gonna talk to me?" He asked, trying his hardest to keep his emotions intact. Beth shook her head, and she tried to walk faster. Yet years of chasing down walkers had given Daryl the upper hand. He swooped in, grabbing her by the waist and he pressed her against the shed. "Don't shut me out, Beth." He warned, his face inches from hers.

* * *

A/N: I don't really like to do these, because I think they take away from the story itself. But I want to thank all of you guys for reviewing, favoriting, and following my fanfiction. You guys keep me going, and you give me some brilliant ideas. Thank you.


	4. It's Gonna End with a Bang

Chapter 4: Babe if you could know, you would hatch a plan

Disclaimer: I own nothing other than the plot. J

A/N: I would like to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. It really means a lot. I also would like you to know that I take each of your reviews into regard with my writing.

"What's going on here?" A rough voice demanded from the mist. Daryl took a step back, and Beth dropped to her feet. The leaves crunched under Rick's boots, and he stared at the pair. It was at that moment, Beth knew what she had to do.

"What's going on here?" Rick repeated himself, a bit more menacingly. Beth took one last look of longing at Daryl, and he met her gaze. Tears threatened to spill over her lashes, and she took a deep breath.

She spun around, and she made a break for it. She ran as fast as she could almost stumbling over her own feet. "Beth!" Daryl yelled after her, but she paid no heed. She fell against the fence breathless, tears rushing down her face.

He would never understand why she had done what she had, but she did it to keep him safe. She had fallen in love with the only man strong enough to protect the group, and she was deathly afraid that he had fallen for her.

She heard footsteps coming up the way, and she wiped off her face with her arm. She straightened out her shirt and she didn't want to wait for the person to come through the gray. She bounded away to the prison and soon she was out of breath.

She knew what she had to do, whether she would be able to survive or not. It had to be done. When she had reached her cell, she closed her door and she pulled out her notebook and pencil.

She began to scribble out four letters to Daryl, Rick, Maggie, and the rest of the group.

_Daryl, _Her hands were shaking as she wrote, and she took a few more deep breaths.

_I'm sorry. Don't come looking for me. _

Beth shook her head, and she crossed out the last sentence.

_I'm gone, you need to forget me. _

She crumpled up the piece of paper and she tossed against the wall angrily. She ripped out a new piece of paper, and she furiously wrote,

_Daryl, _

_Forget my face. _

Satisfied, she folded the paper in half and she finished the other three letters. She put the letters out on her bed, and she realized she had to come to terms with her decision. She had to leave.

It wasn't some silly little romantic whim. She didn't have to leave because her heart couldn't take the love. She had to leave because once she was actually **happy**, people started dying.

That was proved with Jimmy, Zach, and now Noah.

She had lied to Daryl that night. He was never Zach's friend. In fact, the two hardly spoke to each other. A year after Zach had passed on, Beth and Noah started to hang out and after a while one thing led to another. She didn't love him per se, but she cared for him deeply.

And now he was dead. She couldn't be so selfish as to be with Daryl and essentially kill him too. Be it Walkers or a murderer.

It was her life and short term relationship with Daryl or the rest of the lives in the group including Judith. She could never be so selfish, and so she had to leave. Her even being there at that moment was putting the lives of the group in danger.

Taking a deep breath, Beth donned her warmest jacket and she picked up her pack filled with her gun, knife, and various other things she would need. She took one last look at her bed, and she turned to leave.

There was a shadow at her door, and she squinted to see who it was. Something came down on her head hard, and all she could see were swirls of black and white. Then the alluring darkness overtook her vision.

* * *

"What was that about?" Rick questioned, raising an eyebrow. Daryl shook it off and he turned off all emotion. "Nothin'." He grumbled, as he stalked off away from the prison.

Rick jogged to keep pace with him. "What?" He asked, caught off guard. Daryl paused and he spun around to face Rick. "I said Nothin' an' I mean nothin'." He answered, poking Rick in his chest. Rick slapped away his finger.

"Alright. Alright. I get it." Rick snapped, and he pulled up his pants. Glenn's head popped out from the window of the watchtower. "How was watch?" Rick asked him, and he grinned. "Great." He winked, and Daryl cringed. "That's great an' all but I gotta get goin'." Glenn threw down a pebble at Daryl, and it hit him on the shoulder.

Daryl glared up at him. "What the hell do you want?" He snarled up at the man. Glenn pulled back slightly, and he frowned. "How's Beth doin'?" Glenn called, a hint of mocking in his voice. Rick whipped around, and he pointed at Glenn. "What's he talkin' about?" He questioned. Daryl shrugged, and he brushed him off.

"No. No. No. What happened to Beth, Daryl? What did you do?" He demanded. Rick began to pace back and forth in frustration. Glenn inched his way back inside, aware of the incoming destruction.

"Nothing happened to Beth. She's fine. Just a little pissed at me is all." He finally admitted, and he leaned against the wall in a huff. Rick scrunched his eyebrows together, pulling an awkward face.

"What reason does she have to be pissed at you?" Daryl lit up cigarette and he puffed on it angrily. He scoffed. "You sure do have a lot of questions, dontcha?"

Rick groaned, and he stopped his pacing. "Daryl, I don't give a damn about what you do, but if it affects this group I need to know." He ran a hand through his hair, and he let out a huff of air.

"Well, don't worry." Daryl began, flicking his cigarette. "You won't have any more problems. I won't be bothering her again." Rick put his hands up in frustration, and guffawed.

Daryl sighed, and he continued down the path. "Where ya going?" Rick called after him, angrily. Daryl waved him off, and he whipped out his crossbow.

"Huntin." He yelled over his shoulder, and he threw open the fence. The fence reverberated against the wooden spikes, and he slammed it back into place. All Rick could do was stare after him confused as hell.

* * *

Maggie wandered through the prison, and she wrapped herself up tightly into her parka. She sat down on the swing the group made in honor of Hershel's death. She felt the breeze through her hair, and she closed her eyes.

She was a dead woman walking. The words rang so true, Maggie almost giggled aloud.

"What are you so happy about?" Michonne asked, standing from a distance. Maggie shrugged, and she stretched out. "I just remembered a joke Carol said the other day." Michonne raised an eyebrow, and she cracked a smile. "Really?" She questioned. "I don't remember any joke."

Maggie rubbed the back of her neck with the palm of her hand. "It was the one about uh.. You know. The milkman, and the mother." Michonne smiled knowingly, and she rounded the swing to stand in front of her.

"You hang around with Glen too much. You're getting to be a bad a liar as he is." She chuckled, and she leaned against the post on one arm. "What is it?" She prodded. Maggie left out a sigh, and she brought a delicate hand up against her lips.

Michonne widened her eyes in surprise. "That bad, huh?" Maggie nodded, and she straightened out her sleeves. Michonne sat down next to Maggie and she placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "What is it?"

Maggie took a shaky breath, and she closed her eyes tightly.

"Michonne… I'm pregnant."

A faint scream echoed through-out the prison and its yard. Michonne and Maggie's heads snapped up at the noise. They knew that voice.

They took off at a full run, and they met Rick and Daryl at her cell with Carol and Glenn arriving a few moments later.

Shakily Maggie pushed open her door, and the rest held back a little with Daryl resting against the back wall. There was nothing to be found. No blood. No hints of struggle, but instead they found her pack laying on the ground and four neatly folded up letters. The first three were labeled Daryl, Rick, and Maggie accordingly. The fourth was left blank.

Daryl scrambled with dirty fingers to rip his open, and when he had read what was on the page he nearly collapsed onto the ground. He managed by some force greater than his own to keep his feet planted firmly and he kept his face neutral.

Maggie opened hers with trembling hands, and she read aloud.

_My dear sister, _

_I know this will come as a shock to you, but I'm doing this for the better of the group. By the time you read this, I'll be long gone. _

_I love you, Mags. _

_-Beth. _

Michonne tightened her grip on her Katana, and she huffed out a breath of air angrily. "She ran away?" Rick shook his head, and he sat down on her bed. "I think she was plannin' on leaving, but I don't think she made it." He whispered, silently reading and re-reading his letter.

_Rick, _

_You probably have a lot of questions, and I'm sorry I'm not there to answer them. _

_Yes, I'm leaving. _

_No, it's not your fault, and it ain't your duty to come find me either. _

_Please take care of Judith and Carl. They really need their daddy. _

_With love, _

_Beth_

Rick passed his letter over to Daryl and Rick held his face in his hands. Daryl opened the crinkled letter, and that's when he lost it. "You? She gives you a whole goddamn speech and all she gives me is three measly little words?"

Carol put a warm hand on Daryl's bare shoulder. "Calm down, I'm sure she has her reasons." Daryl glared at Carol, not speaking. Carol got anxious and she quickly took her hand away. "Sorry." She mumbled.

He threw down both letters, and he walked away quickly. "Where are you going?" Michonne demanded. "I'm gonna find her. The track has to be there, it hasn't even been an hour yet." Michonne nodded, and she hurried to catch up with him. "I'll go with ya." She declared.

Rick looked at Maggie and Glenn for an answer, and they nodded. "We'll stay here and hold down the fort." Glenn began, and he held Maggie close. "If anyone can find my baby sister, it's you guys." Rick nodded, and he stopped. "Will you?"

Maggie smiled and she rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. "Yes, Judith and Carl will be fine. Now go." Rick checked his holster, and he found his gun nestled closely to his side. It was fully loaded as per usual. Rick pulled up his loose pants once more, and he ran to catch up to the guys.

* * *

Darkness. She was laying on something cold, and soft. It was unmistakably soft. But the smell… It was a mixture of death and mold. Beth sat up abruptly, coughing. Her eyes were open, but all she saw was the black.

She pulled her knees up against her, and she sat back against the cold wall. Stone, perhaps? She squinted her eyes, trying to see something. Anything.

There was a faint outline of the mattress she had been laying on, and another one that was across the room. They were side by side, and just before them was a thin strip of light coming from under the silver metal door.

This was bad.

"Hello?" She whispered, but there came no reply. Someone was there with her, and she hoped to God it wasn't a walker. She checked her pockets for a flashlight, and that's when she noticed the blood.

It was soaked into her t-shirt, and it was coming down from a cut on her forehead. Her hair was crusted and matted down to her head. She wasn't wearing shoes. They had taken her shoes. "Hello?" She tried again, her voice desperately needing to be cleared.

"Well, hello there, my southern peach." His voice was unmistakable. Light, and gravelly at the same time. Melodic and confident. The lights flipped on, and Beth shielded her eyes.

She was in a room no bigger than one at a cheap motel. The door was barred shut, and it had no windows. The bathroom was closed off, and there was no closet. Just a couple of hangers next to the door. The walls were made of stone, like some type of Prostitute dream house for creeps like the Governor. The Governor.

He sat in front of the only exit in the room. His light gray suit clung to him as if it were one size too tight, and his red tie was dirty and torn on the side. He leaned on one arm of his luxurious chair, his legs were crossed, and he peered at Beth out of his one good eye.

When she took notice of him, he smiled. An evil smile that was both inviting, and fear evoking. "What do you want?" Beth choked out, suddenly finding it very hard to breathe. Phillip's grin widened to impossible lengths, almost stretching all the way up to his ears.

"No, no, no, Honey. It's not what I want. It's the will of God." The lights above them flickered and buzzed, threating to turn off at any moment. "T-the will of God?" She questioned incredulously. "Who are you to say what the will of God is?"

The Governor stopped abruptly, smile melting from his face for only a second. "You'll know in time. For now, I want you to squirm. I want you to wonder. I want you to _be afraid._" He sat forward in his chair, and he placed his hands on knees.

Beth tried to find her strength, and she tried to stand and laugh and let the Governor know that Beth Greene was NOT woman to be messed with. She found she couldn't. All she could do was sit in her dark corner, and cower. _Like the pathetic thing I am. _She realized.

"Never." She said the word unsteadily, and she knew she hadn't convinced him. "Oh really?" He chuckled. He crawled out from his chair, and he swaggered over to her. Beth flinched and she felt his warmth so close to hers. It was then that she realized the entire room was cold. Below freezing at least.

He bent down until his lips brushed against her ear. "I will make you feel fear you didn't even realize existed." She reared back her hand and she slapped him across the face as hard as she could. He lingered for a moment almost as surprised as she was, and he slowly turned back to face her.

"Well, my southern peach, it seems like it's going to be a rough couple of days for you." He began, and he sat down next to her. "You and I are going to be spending quite a bit of time together." He reached up, and he stroked her blood streaked hair.

She cringed, and she clenched her eyes shut. "They'll come find me you know. Daryl and Rick." She warned. He lifted her chin so that she when she opened her eyes she had no choice other than to look at him. "Says the little run away." He smirked.

He sighed as he gazed at her, and he forcefully wrapped her into his arms. "That was so very valiant of you. Leaving your dear beloved behind so you could save the others. He doesn't care for you. Not like I can." Beth froze and she went rigid against him.

"What?" She questioned, ripping herself away from him. He stared her down, and he lifted up his eye-patch to reveal a small space of clean skin and a scar.

"I see things with this eye. Things that no mortal was ever supposed to see. I see the end, and believe me, My Southern Peach." He made his hand into a gun and he put it to her head as he pulled the invisible trigger. "It's gonna end with a bang."


End file.
